Possibly because of his "countrified" origins, some idiosyncrasies of diction appear to have crept into Pacuvius' work. At any rate, he was mocked for this by Lucilius and Persius. Nevertheless, the general impression of his work is of a competent command of pathos, and a definite talent for drawing up his characters in broad strokes.

(Laelius:) ... What acclamations lately rang throughout the whole theatre at the performance of the new play of my guest and friend Marcus Pacuvius, when, the king not knowing which of the two was Orestes, Pylades said that he was Orestes, so that he might be put to death in his stead, while Orestes maintained, as indeed was the case, that he was Orestes.2 The audience rose and applauded at an imaginary incident; what do we think they would have done in real life?